Barrington orthodontist cares about local schools

Dr. Jordan Jaffe stands with his office staff, patients and family members during his Halloween candy buy-back event.

The floor inside the back room at Dr. Jordan Jaffe’s office was covered with boxes of candy.

That’s not how the local orthodontist’s workspace usually appears, but a recent Friday was special. It marked the doctor’s annual Halloween candy buy-back event — a chance for local boys and girls to sell up to five pounds of their Halloween for $1 per pound. Dr. Jaffe and his team package the candy and ship it to U.S. troops serving abroad, as part of Operation Gratitude.

“This is the first year we opened it up to the public,” he said, adding that prior campaigns were mostly open to his patients and students at his oldest son’s school, Nayatt.

Dr. Jaffe has made a routine of organizing or sponsoring a wide variety of events — his practice sponsors the Barrington Education Foundation’s annual Rubber Ducky Race, the Bristol Warren Education Foundation, a giving tree donation event for the Rhode Island Veterans Home occupants, the candy buy-back and more.

The Barrington resident said he believes there’s a natural fit between his practice sponsoring the local education foundations. He said he also spent more than a few years in classrooms. “I was in school forever,” he said, pointing to a framed degree on his office wall.

Dr. Jaffe has lived in Barrington since 2002. He and his wife Debbi have two sons — Jake is 6, and Alan is 4.

Support for education: Dr. Jaffe said he is proud to support the Barrington Education Foundation and the Bristol Warren Education Foundation, and has developed relationships with a number of people at both organizations. “It goes beyond writing a check,” he said. “We’re past that point. I believe in these things.”

Community commitment:Jaffe Orthodontics also helps sponsor the Nayatt School 5K race and the St. Luke Church Trot Off Your Turkey 5K each year. “About six weeks before the race I have to start training,” he said. “If I came waddling across the finish line, that would be bad…”

In his blood: Dr. Jaffe’s grandfather’s brother was the first university-trained orthodontist in Rhode Island, and Dr. Jaffe himself is one of only six board certified orthodontists in the state. “I thought I owed that much to my patients.”

Best part of his job: “Dealing with the people, my patients — the kids and our adult patients,” he said.

Toughest part of his job: (Long pause) “I’ll have to get back to you on that one,” he said. “I’ve got a good gig.”

World Series tickets: A longtime Boston Red Sox fan, Dr. Jaffe saw Game Two of the World Series from inside Fenway Park. He pulled on a Red Sox jersey and posed for a photo prior to the game; the pic was posted to his practice’s Facebook page. This caption appeared atop the picture: “Guess where Dr. Jaffe is tonight? That’s right, WORLD SERIES!!! Just look for the guy with his arms raised high in the air yelling ‘Woohoo, World Series Baby’!!!! As you might expect, he is very excited!”

In the ring: Looking for an exciting way to stay in shape, Dr. Jaffe tried his hand (or hands) at boxing. He’s been doing it for the last three years, and calls Icon Boxing his home gym. “I really like it,” he said. “It’s the longest six minutes of your life. … By the end of the third round, you just hope you can lift your arm up.”